The Day the Earth Stood Still Page #18

HELEN:

Come on, Bobby. Time to go to bed.

BOBBY:

(he followers her,

then hesitates)

Mom -- why does Mr. Carpenter have

to go down to the police station?

HELEN:

I -- I don't know, dear... Perhaps

there's some mistake.

This satisfies him for the moment -- even though it doesn't

satisfy Helen. He is climbing the stairs beside her.

BOBBY:

We sure had fun today. We saw the

space ship and we went to see

Professor Barnhardt -- and--

HELEN:

(flashing him a

puzzled, incredulous

look)

Professor Barnhardt.

BOBBY:

(almost ignoring the

interruption)

Yeah, sure. Mom, do I have to go to

school tomorrow?

HELEN:

Of course, dear.

BOBBY:

Aw, gee, Mom -- I had plans to play

with Mr. Carpenter.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. POLICE STATION - FULL SHOT - NIGHT

The place is crowded and there is a feeling of feverish but

well-ordered activity. Unidentified people who have been

picked up in the search for the space man are being screened

by the police. They are all men -- all between forty and

sixty years old -- and they are from all walks of life. A

series of desks have been arranged in a row, with signs over

them reading IDENTIFICATION. At each desk is a team of cops

and before each desk is a line of men waiting to be screened.

At the far end of the room Klaatu can be seen at the desk of

a Police Lieutenant, with the detective who picked him up.

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Shooting over the shoulders of two cops at one of the desks,

toward the line of people they are screening. A nondescript,

middle-aged vagrant stands before the desk as one of the

cops flips through a card file.

FIRST COP:

(to the cop beside

him)

B.M. Alberts -- no prior arrests.

SECOND COP:

(to the vagrant)

No identification?

(the man shakes his

head dully)

Send him over to G-2.

The man is taken out of the line as CAMERA MOVES ON to the

next desk, with another pair of cops and another line. A

rather distinguished-looking business man is placing a sheaf

of identification cards and papers on the desk.

BUSINESSMAN:

My wife just arrived with my

identification.

One of the cops at the desk glances over the papers and nods

to the man.

THIRD COP:

That'll be all, Mr. Baxter. Sorry to

bother you... Next.

CAMERA MOVES ON to a third desk where a small, rat-faced man

is standing uneasily before the two cops, one of whom is

flipping through a card file.

FOURTH COP:

Cappo, John C?

(the man nods)

Two priors -- one for petty theft --

one for shoplifting.

FIFTH COP:

(waving the man away)

Okay, Jonny -- you can go.

MAN:

(with a nervous grin)

Sometimes a record comes in handy.

(and he moves off)

MED. CLOSE SHOT - AT LIEUTENANT'S DESK

A Detective Lieutenant in plain clothes is questioning Klaatu,

who stands beside the Detective who brought him in. The

Lieutenant is a rugged but dignified man about fifty,

intelligent and businesslike.

LIEUTENANT:

The Professor's secretary says she

found you in Barnhardt's room, making

marks on his blackboard.

KLAATU:

I was only trying to be helpful. He

was having difficulty with a problem.

The Lieutenant exchanges a look with the Detective.

LIEUTENANT:

(sardonically)

Oh, I see. He was having trouble and

you were helping him out.

KLAATU:

(pleasantly)

That's right.

LIEUTENANT:

(quietly sharp and

accusing)

I suppose you know that Barnhardt

does a lot of secret work for the

Army.

KLAATU:

In this case the secret wouldn't be

worth much. He doesn't know the answer

himself.

LIEUTENANT:

(growing impatient)

But I suppose you know the answer.

KLAATU:

(with a deprecating

shrug)

It's really quite simple... The three-

body problem, you know.

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